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Refused entry to forest temple, villagers block road

TNN | Updated: Apr 21, 2019, 4:08 IST

About 500 people from seven villages in and around Mettupalayam, including Oomapalayam, Mothepalayam, Dhayanur and Kandiyur blocked the Mettupalayam-Kotagiri Road on Friday night after the forest department denied entry into Sirumugai forest to offer prayers at the Periyasamy Ayyanar Temple. The forest officials had blocked the road and stopped the villagers as the number of wild elephants passing through the area had increased. However, some of the villagers ignored the warnings and entered the forest. The department is mulling action against them. The villagers, especially those belonging to the Valayar community, visit the temple every Chitra Pournami to offer worship. On the occasion of Chitra Pournami on Friday night, they wanted to visit the temple. When a large group reached the point of entry to the forest at 11pm, forest officials noticed them and stopped them. “We explained to the villagers, especially the elders, about the presence of elephants on the path. It is a main elephant crossing area. Many elephants are also walking close to the fringes in search of food and water due to the severe summer,” forest ranger E N Manoharan said.

But the villagers began to protest and blocked the Mettupalayam-Kotagiri Road. When they realized that the forest officers were not relenting, some of them walked into the forest around 11.30pm. “There were hardly six or seven officers to control 500 people,” said the officer. “We reminded them of the recent killing of a man in Bouluvampatti by a wild elephant. But they were not willing to listen,” he added.